


hang all the mistletoe

by sodelicate



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Christmas, Established Relationship, Fluff, Kenma is a Tease, Kissing, M/M, Mistletoe, Sledding, Teasing, and kuroo loves being teased, this was supposed to be a christmas fic oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-30
Updated: 2018-12-30
Packaged: 2019-09-29 00:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,173
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17193185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sodelicate/pseuds/sodelicate
Summary: "It’s at this point that Kenma realises hemighthave a sadistic streak. As much as he'd like to make out with Kuro, mistletoe or not, there's something immensely satisfying about watching as Kuro tries his hardest to get him under a mistletoe, dangling the opportunity right in front of him and then snatching it away just as it barely passes through Kuro’s fingertips."In which Kenma is a tease, Kuroo tries his best to get a kiss under a mistletoe, there is sledding and they both win in the end.





	hang all the mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Louie_writes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Louie_writes/gifts).



> this is my birthday gift to my internet wife, Louie. thanks for marrying me, b. i hope you like this! <3

The thing you might want to know about Kuroo Tetsurou is that he is a marvelously fun person to tease. And Kenma, being the self-proclaimed little shit he is, loves pushing Kuro’s buttons. (It helps that Kuro is the kind of guy who enjoys being teased too.) In fact, ever since they started dating, they have made a silly but nonetheless entertaining game out of it. Kenma would purposely withhold makeouts or cuddles (and, on occasion, more) from Kuro with a condition and two-week time limit, and until Kuro meets that condition within the limit he wouldn't be getting makeouts or cuddles (or, on those occasions, more).

This Christmas is no different.

It begins when they're walking home from school. Kuro is telling Kenma about his chemistry test when a small voice at the back of Kenma’s mind, maybe his intuition, tells him to look up from his game. Kenma isn't one to ignore his gut feeling — not when it has saved so many matches for the team as well as video game characters — so that's what he does. 

And with his sharp eyes, he spots it — a single mistletoe hanging from the roof of a nearby pavilion. Huh, now _that's_ a thought…

“What are you looking at?” Kuro drawls. He follows Kenma’s gaze — and when he spots the pavilion, his lips curl into a smirk. “Well, kitten, I'm suddenly rather tired. Or to put it more sophisticatedly, exhausted. Enervated. Debilitated.”

Kenma knows what Kuro’s thinking — and he knows Kuro knows that he knows what Kuro’s thinking — but he hasn't messed with Kuro in a while now, what with their recent tests. So he just arches an apathetic eyebrow and goes, “So?”

“ _So_ , how about we go sit at the nice pavilion over there? It’s got a great view.”

Kenma glances beside him and thanks the fates for being on his side when he spots a bench. He shoots Kuro a challenging look before plopping himself right on the bench. “Lazy. And there's a convenient bench right beside us. If you're tired, we can just sit here.”

“But the view’s nicer there,” Kuro wheedles, much to Kenma’s amusement. “There's the sunset, and you can see the temple in the distance—” 

“Too late. I'm already sitting down, nerd.”

Kuro lets out a dramatic sigh but gives in. He settles down next to Kenma and slings an arm around his shoulders. Seeing as there's no one else around in the park they decided to take a detour in, Kenma snuggles up closer to Kuro and leans his head on his shoulder. Even if he is trying to tease Kuro, he figures his poor boyfriend at least deserves _something_.

“You're so difficult,” Kuro grumbles, though without any real heat. “You're lucky you're cute enough to be put up with.”

Kenma rolls his eyes. “I'm neither difficult nor cute.” 

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I'm not.”

“Yes, you are.” 

“No, I'm not.” 

This is just another one of the usual bickers, which normally end with one of them going in for a kiss to shut the other up. This time is no different; Kuro leans in and kisses Kenma, and Kenma indulges him for several moments. 

But then he feels Kuro’s tongue poking his lip, and that's when Kenma decides enough is enough. He pulls away, letting a brief flicker of a smirk flash across his face before covering it up with his usual indifferent expression.

“You have to earn it, Kuro,” Kenma says simply. This is their code for ‘You're going to be in for a hell lot of teasing unless you fulfill xxx condition’. He knows Kuro is an intelligent guy, so he trusts that Kuro knows what the condition is this time.

“Very well, then.” Kuro’s warm breath fans Kenma’s lips. “It’s on, kitten. I hope you're getting used to the taste of defeat.”

“Whatever. You've only won twice.”

“That, I have. But I’ll make my comeback soon, just you watch. The crowd loves an underdog.”

Kenma rolls his eyes again, but he allows a tiny smile to show. “Dork. And you better stick to the rules.”

“But of course,” Kuro says, placing a hand on his chest. “I've always been an honourable man.”

Kenma fake-gags and Kuro lets out a low laugh. The two hold each other’s gaze for what feels like forever. The message is clear: _challenge accepted_.

Well then. This could prove interesting.

 

* * *

 

Kenma walks into the gym for practice, and he raises his eyebrows in amusement. He really should make fun of Kuro for being a desperate little shit later.

“Kenma, what are you and Kuroo up to this time?” Yaku asks exasperatedly. “And why are there mistletoe in places where there weren't mistletoe on Tuesday?”

Kenma eyes the places where mistletoe are dangling from. He has to give it to Kuro — they're hung in strategic areas, like the setter positions on both sides of the net, near the benches and right outside the storage room.

“Just having some fun with my beloved,” Kuro chimes in, strolling up from behind Kenma and slinging an arm around his waist. He loves to engage in PDA in front of Yaku just to push his buttons.

It works — Yaku’s eyebrows pinch together like he bit into an unbearably sour lemon. “You know what, I don't want to know. Do what you want, as long as this… _thing_ doesn't get in the way of volleyball.”

Kuro rolls his eyes. “Yes, mother dearest.”

Practice is… interesting to say the least. Tora gets caught under the mistletoe near the storage room with Fukunaga. There's some flustered spluttering on Tora’s part and quips on Fukunaga’s, and they get out of the situation after a sharing a quick bro-hug.

(No one knows if they actually kiss or not, given the way their bodies are angled.)

After the first half of practice, Kenma deliberately sits on the floor under the mistletoe in front of the net. He spots Kuro striding none too subtly towards him; and just as Kuro is a mere few steps away from him, he scoots several inches backwards, thereby removing himself from being under the mistletoe. He shoots Kuro a tiny smirk he knows only Kuro can see. Kuro just huffs dramatically.

Kuro leans down and whispers into his ear, “Have fun while you can, kitten. One day, I’ll catch you under a mistletoe.”

“Then step on it,” Kenma mutters back. He's just barely able to suppress a shiver at the sound of Kuro’s low voice and sensation of his warm breath so close to his ear. “You only have two weeks, you know.”

“Oh, I will. Two weeks is plenty of time. Just you wait and see.”

They keep up this tango for the practice, somehow not getting called out by the coaches (or Yaku, for that matter). Kuro would try to sneak up on Kenma when he's purposely located himself under a mistletoe, only to sidle away when Kuro is mere steps away from his goal. Or Kuro would try to get in his way by standing right under a mistletoe, but Kenma would twirl his way around the mistletoe, graceful as a dancer. Kuro’s eyebrow would twitch ever so slightly, though nothing is betrayed. To everyone else, Kuro probably appears as he always does (cool, smirking, unruffled by anything); but Kenma can see the mounting frustration behind his usual smirks. 

It’s at this point that Kenma realises he _might_ have a sadistic streak. As much as he'd like to make out with Kuro, mistletoe or no, there's something immensely satisfying about watching as Kuro tries his hardest to get him under a mistletoe, dangling the opportunity right in front of him and then snatching it away just as it barely passes through Kuro’s fingertips.

This goes on for the next few days. When Kuro comes to pick Kenma up so they can travel together to school, he finds no less than three mistletoe hanging right above his doorstep. During practice, the mistletoe are still hanging where they were in the gym yesterday, and with several new additions too. When he goes over to Kuro’s place after school on days they don't have practice, about half the total ceiling surface area is decked out in mistletoe. It’s a miracle Kenma manages to slink past each and every one of the mistletoe Kuro has hung up. A few times he even considers throwing in the towel, seeing how much effort Kuro has put into hanging up _all_ the damn mistletoe and how much work it is on _his_ part to avoid every one of them. 

But Kenma’s pride as a gamer (and his sadistic streak) keeps him from doing so. There's just something too pleasing about Kuro’s very apparent frustration for him to give up so easily.

“Only one week left,” Kenma reminds Kuro. 

“Plenty of time, kitten,” Kuro asserts with a sly smirk. 

“Oh really?”

“Really really.” 

Kenma rolls his eyes before moving to lie down in Kuro’s lap. “Hmph, whatever.”

(Yet, despite his nonchalance, he gets the sneaking feeling that Kuro is up to something. It would be in his best interest to be prepared for whatever Kuro is up to.)

 

* * *

 

Every year for Christmas the Kozume and Kuroo families would spend the entire week at a ski resort in Niigata. This year is no different.

When they arrive at the huge villa Kuroo’s parents booked (it’s their turn to pay this year), Kenma is surprised that Kuro doesn't immediately bustle off to decorate every corner of the place in mistletoe.

Even later after everyone has unpacked, there's not a mistletoe in sight. Kenma frowns. Though he's glad this means he doesn't have to watch his every step around the villa, this does raise some suspicion. It’s unlike Kuro to forget they have a game going on. He hasn't made even a passing reference to it. What _is_ going on?

The next afternoon after lunch, the adults ditch Kuro and Kenma with the kids.

“Daytime drinking?” Kuro asks incredulously. “Aren't you supposed to be setting a good example for the kids?”

Kuro’s father just laughs and pats Kuro on the shoulder. “It’s Christmas week! We adults just want to take a break and have some, ah, _adult_ talk.”

“I'm eighteen, Dad, you don't have to use euphemisms like that around me.” 

“Yes, a valid point! Since you're so mature, you and Kenma-kun should be fine with the kids for just the afternoon, right? You love the kids so much, so shouldn't you be delighted by the prospect of getting to spend some alone time with them?”

“I'm mightily delighted,” Kuro says dryly. “But what I _do_  have a problem with is all you adults going daytime dri—”

“Would you look at the time!” Kuro’s father makes a show of checking his watch. “I have to scoot now. The bar won't be open forever!”

And with that, he vanishes off with the other adults.

“Stupid old man,” Kuro grumbles. He turns to his cousins — Haruto, Minato and Airi — and gives them a final once-over. “Looks like everyone’s all nicely bundled up. Are we ready to go, kiddos?”

“Yes, Tetsu-nii!” Airi chirps. At six, she's the baby of the bunch and consequently Kuro’s favourite cousin. Even though Kuro denies having favourites with vehemence (“I love them all the same!”), Kenma knows that the pigtail-wearing little girl has a special place in Kuro’s heart.

Minato, the middle child, just nods in reply.

Haruto rolls his eyes and huffs, “I'm not a kiddo anymore! I'm eleven, so I'm a man now!” 

“Yeah whatever you say, little man,” Kuro quips with a grin, earning himself an indignant squawk from his eldest cousin. 

After doing final checks to make sure everyone's bundled up properly for the winter, Kuro leads them to the sledding hill. The three kids clamber eagerly around Kuro like he's a magnet. Each one of them, even quiet Minato, fights for Kuro’s attention.

“Tetsu-nii!” Airi wails when Haruto interrupts her for the third time. “Haruto-nii is being mean to me! He won't let me tell you about my play!”

“That's ‘cause your play was _boring_ ,” Haruto shoots back, sticking his tongue out. “I got straight A’s, which is way cooler than your dumb play.”

“The book Tetsu-nii got me for my birthday is the coolest,” Minato mutters. “I want to tell him about it first.”

“Now now, kids,” Kuro chides. He stops in his tracks and squats down to be at eye level with the kids. “We have to take turns, okay? Haruto, you wouldn't like it if Airi or Minato kept interrupting you, right?” When Haruto nods slowly, Kuro continues, “Then don't do it to Airi. Please apologise to your sister.” 

Haruto crosses his arms and refuses to make eye contact with his sister. “… Fine, I'm sorry.” 

“Now that's a good boy,” Kuro praises, ruffling Haruto’s dark hair. It looks uncannily like the mess perched atop Kuro's head. 

“I'm not a boy, I'm a man!” 

“Sure, whatever you say, little guy.”

Kenma awkwardly hovers behind Kuro the rest of the way to the sledding hill, keeping his head down to focus on his game. If Kenma had a choice, he wouldn't be out here with Kuro’s cousins. Heck, he probably wouldn't be out here at all. He would be back home at Tokyo in his home, gaming in the comfortable alcove of his bedroom. While this is far from his first time spending Christmas with Kuro’s cousins, their energy level and behaviour are a bit… much for Kenma to take. He's already starting to tire, and it’s only two in the afternoon. Kids truly are energy vampires; he doesn't know how Kuro can adore them as much as he does.

At some point during the arduous trek through the snow, Minato joins Kenma. He walks on his tiptoes to try and get a better view of Kenma’s console screen. Frankly, Kenma doesn't like it when people watch him when he plays, but this is Kuro’s cousin. And his quiet cousin, too. Since Kenma feels an odd sort of kinship with Minato, he obligingly lowers his console for Minato.

“Kenma-nii is so cool,” Minato says in his usual quiet voice. If Kenma weren't quite so quiet himself, he might not have even heard him. “I'm still struggling to get past that boss in Monster Hunter.” 

Kenma wonders what is it about him that Minato perceives as ‘cool’. To Minato, all that he should be is his cousin’s awkward and aloof boyfriend. No reason to think he's cool at all. “Mhm.”

A small silence passes before Minato speaks up again. “Tetsu-nii talks a lot about you, you know?” 

“Does he?” Kenma mumbles. This doesn't surprise him, since he knows Kuro has a tendency to peacock their relationship to anyone and everyone who would listen (that number is decreasing at a steady rate).

Minato nods sincerely. “He does. He's always talking about how cool and clever you are. He says your team would never stand a chance without you as their ‘brain’. The team has decent well-rounded players, but you're like the control tower they, er — what word did Tetsu-nii use?”

“Center!” Airi interjects. “He says that ‘cause the team centers around Kenma-nii, they're able to win all those matches!” She seems rather proud of herself for remembering the exact word Kuro used.

“Your cousin gives me too much credit.” Kenma hopes he isn't blushing. It’s not like Kuro has _never_ said anything like this to him before — he has, and on regular occasion too. Kuro’s always armed with an abundance of praise for him, yet hearing that Kuro spoke so highly of him to his much-beloved cousins warms something in him. Oh well, he’d just have to blame whatever potential blushing on the cold. 

“Nah, I don't,” Kuro chimes in. He stops walking to allow Kenma and Minato to catch up, and when Kenma has caught up he wraps a firm arm around Kenma’s waist. “I give you the precise amount of credit you deserve, kitten. I can even whip out all the calculations for you.”

“Ew, no thanks, you nerd.”

Kuro laughs and presses a sweet kiss against Kenma’s temple. Haruto gags, Minato averts his eyes and Airi squeals.

“Not in front of the kids, Kuro,” Kenma reminds him quietly.

“Ugh, don't do that in front of us!” Haruto whines. “Cooties! Wait, are there still cooties if it’s two guys?” 

“Do it again!” Airi cheers. “Do a movie star kiss!”

Kuro chuckles fondly. “Another time, Ai-chan. Look, the sleds are over there.” He points to a winter sports gear shop to their left. “Go pick out your sleds, and make sure to choose badass-looking ones, alright?”

“But I want a cute one!” Airi pouts.

“Cute sleds are _lame_ ,” Haruto jeers, while Minato just shrugs with indifference. Kenma wonders if this kid is a mini version of himself.

“Don't be rude, Haruto,” Kuro scolds. “You can have all the cute sleds you want, Airi, ‘cause you can be both cute _and_ badass at the same time.” 

Airi’s entire face lights up. “Really? Can I?”

“Absolutely.” 

“Yay! I'm gonna grow up to be badass and cute then, ‘cause Tetsu-nii told me so. Thank you, Tetsu-nii!” Airi throws herself at Kuro, winding her arms around his midriff.

Kuro ruffles her hair. “Go and pick your cute and badass sled, then. Your brothers are beating you there.”

“Wha— _hey!_ Wait for me, losers!” 

Once the kids have disappeared into the rental shop, Kuro turns to Kenma. Without saying anything, he leans down to plant a chaste kiss on Kenma’s lips.

“You look so pretty with snow all over you,” Kuro murmurs. His eyes flicker in a haphazard fashion from Kenma’s hair to his neck, then to his lips and back up to his eyes. “And with your cheeks and nose all rosy from the cold too. Imagine all the things I could be doing to you — with you — if we weren't stuck with babysitting duties. I'd back you up against a tree and—”

“You’re gonna have to earn it, Kuro,” Kenma reminds him.

“Ah, dammit. I was hoping you'd have forgotten about it.”

“I never forget about our games.”

Kuro lets out a soft whine. “Ugh, what a tease. Why do I love you?”

“It’s _because_ I tease you, that's why,” Kenma retorts. Just to rub in his point, he lets his fingers trace the outline of Kuro’s sharp jawline, brush against his lips and trail down to his chest. He spots some colour rising in Kuro’s cheeks, which serves as his cue to drop his hand.

Just then, the kids burst out from the store. Haruto drags a standard-sized red sled behind him, while Minato and Airi have seemingly decided to tag-team a large blue one.

“We’ll finish this later, kitten,” Kuro whispers to Kenma before hurrying to help his cousins.

Kenma snorts to himself. Like he'd let Kuro win so easily.

In the end, Kuro ends up dragging Airi and Minato up while they sit on their sled, Airi tries to get Minato to join her in singing her rendition of Jingle Bells, and Haruto insists on dragging his own sled up. Kenma’s grateful for the boy’s stubborn streak; otherwise, he fears he'd be roped into sled-dragging duty. He trails behind the band of cousins, only glancing up briefly from his game to avoid random kids and stray sleds and skis lying around. 

Once they reach the top, the kids waste no time getting into their sleds. Kuroo squats down beside them to help them, while Kenma stands by the side and continues playing his game. The snow under the afternoon sun is blinding. Not for the first time, Kenma wishes he could’ve stayed at the villa instead of being out here in the cold and saddled with three kids.

He vaguely hears Airi’s whoops of glee and Minato’s soft cheers after Kuro gives them the push-off, as well as Haruto’s loud insistence that he doesn't need a boost “because big boys don't need a push-off!” Kuro humours him, as he always does. After skidding to a stop at the base, the kids run up with their sleds again and beg Kuro to push them again. Even Haruto eventually shelves his pride and asks Kuro for a push-off. Kuro teases him (“Aww, look who's not too big for a push-off now?”) but indulges him anyway. Kuro obligingly pushes his cousins each time they scamper up with rosy cheeks and wide beams. And following each push-off, he would sidle over to where Kenma has taken residence under a tree, wrap his arms tightly around him and attempt to steal kisses from him.

Okay, maybe being out here isn't _so_ bad. Sure, it’s cold and Kenma isn't particularly fond of the snow, and maybe he isn't 100% comfortable with the children — but he has Kuro. He always has Kuro, and Kuro somehow always finds a way to make things that would seem bad not-so bad. Tolerable. Hell, maybe even enjoyable.

Once the children have had their fill of sledding, Haruto initiates a snowball fight. His siblings join him with great delight. In no time, snowballs are flying in all directions and laughter fills the air. Kenma is trying to focus on beating the boss when a particularly large snowball nails his stomach. He cringes at the sudden burst of cold across his stomach, even through the layers of coats. With a scowl, he whips around to locate the perpetrator.

“ _Who_ threw that?” Kenma grumbles.

“Not me!” Airi rushes to reply. “It was Tetsu-nii!”

“Whoa, way to throw your super cool cousin on the bus,” Kuro drawls, raising his hands in surrender.

“ _Kuro_ ,” Kenma enunciates.

“Hey, if you went out during winter and didn't get into a snowball fight did you _really_ go out during winter?”

Kenma huffs out an aggravated sigh. He tucks his game console safely into his jacket inner pocket before bending down, gathering the most massive pile of snow he can hold and lobbing it straight at Kuro’s face. Kuro chokes and splutters as he desperately tries to swipe the freezing snow off his face, eliciting peals of laughter from the kids.

Kenma turns to the three kids and points at Kuro. “Get him, and don't hold back.”

“Is Tetsu-nii a big bad beast we need to beat?” Airi chirps.

Minato tilts his head quizzically. “Like Beauty and the Beast?”

“Yeah, except the beast was attacked by his beauty,” Kuro groans when he finally gets the last of the snow off his face.

“ _You_ were the one who got me involved,” Kenma points out exasperatedly. “This is your fault, Kuro.”

“Let’s get him!” Haruto hollers, apparently not one for patience. His siblings hoot with glee. They run around the hill, gathering as much snow as they can carry in their little hands and flinging them at Kuro without mercy. Kuro initially attempts to fight back — by throwing pitifully teeny snowballs back at them — but he is quite outnumbered, even if they're barely half his size. When Haruto and Minato aim some at his legs, he dramatically falls to the ground, making himself an even easier target.

“Oh no, I have fallen!” Kuro cries out, holding his arm across his forehead. “How could a great beast such as I fall so easily?”

“Yay!” Haruto cheers. He throws five more snowballs at Kuro for good measure. 

Kuro turns to Kenma, as if pleading for help, but Kenma just rolls his eyes and lobs a final snowball at him. 

“Oh no, to be turned against on by one’s love, how could I have been betrayed so?” Kuro wails histrionically. He sounds very much like he’s walked straight out of a modernised Shakespeare play or something.

“Wait, does this mean Tetsu-nii won't be marrying Kenma-nii?” Airi questions, a worried frown on her round face.

Kuro breaks character. He reaches out to pat her head. “Don't worry about it, Ai-chan, you’ll still be our flower girl. And you two can be the ring boys,” he adds, turning to face Haruto and Minato. 

“Yay! I’ll be the best flower girl ever!” Airi cheers. With every loud cheer from her, Kenma feels like the amount of energy drained from him increases exponentially.

“I… I guess I wouldn't mind being the ring boy,” Minato mumbles, glancing away and shuffling his feet.

Haruto wrinkles his nose. “Does that mean I have to dress up in those stuffy suits?” 

“You'd look very handsome in them,” Kuro says. “But if you _really_ don't want to, you can wear whatever you'd like to to my wedding with Kenma.”

Haruto seems to consider this with as much solemnity an eleven-year-old can muster while still flushed and snow-covered from an afternoon of sledding, then nods.

Something in Kenma softens. Kuro really is amazing with kids. He takes such good care of them and humours them without coming off as coddling or condescending. The kids naturally listen to him, not because he's an authority figure but because they just like him that much. This reminds Kenma of Kuro’s occasional daydreams about them being able to legally marry in Japan and adopt children of their own. If this is anything to go by, Kuro absolutely _adores_ children. He would be a great father, Kenma muses, feeling something warm stir in his chest.

He shakes his head, earning an eyebrow raise from Kuro. The cold must be messing with his mind, because he can't believe he was _actually_ thinking of having children. Actual children would be so much work and responsibility, not to mention how little privacy he would get.

 _Then again…_ Kenma thinks to himself as he watches Kuro goof around with Airi, Minato and Haruto.

_Maybe it won't be THAT bad if it’s with Kuro._

 

* * *

 

After taking a nice warm shower, Kenma heads back to his shared bedroom with Kuro. Both their parents are pretty lax about their relationship, probably since neither of them can get pregnant. Well, they must be lax about pretty much  _everything_ if they left their young children in the care of two high school teens just so they could go daytime drinking.

Just as Kenma gets himself comfortable on his bed, Kuro bursts in, dressed in a simple sweatshirt and black sweatpants. To Kenma’s amusement, Kuro’s damp hair is still somehow sticking up in every direction. Nothing can get Kuro’s hair to go and stay down, it seems. 

“Don't you look comfortable,” Kuro says with his usual smirk in place. He strides over to Kenma, confidence exuding from his demeanour like an aura, and plucks the game console out of Kenma’s hands. He’s the only one who can do that, since Kenma figures Kuro has good reasons for doing so (most of the time), and those usually include an exciting makeout session. He pulls Kenma up to his feet, enfolding Kenma in his arms and pressing a tender kiss against the top of his head.

Kenma could melt here. It’s bitterly cold outside, but it’s so warm in Kuro’s arms it’s like he’s being wrapped up in a gigantic personal heater. Even in a villa in the middle of winter with a bunch of kids he isn't completely comfortable with, Kuro nevertheless finds a way to make him feel right at home (even when he's being a massive dork).

“Thanks for humouring my cousins, kitten,” Kuro murmurs. “I know they can be a bit much. I mean, Minato’s a lot like you, all quiet and stuff; but I’d imagine Airi and Haruto can be overwhelming."

“It’s fine,” Kenma replies, his lips quirking into a small smile. He buries his face against the warm expanse of Kuro’s chest and hugs Kuro’s waist. “It was pretty entertaining to watch you play with them and show your true colours as an idiotic dork. I love you.” 

He feels Kuro suck in a sharp breath. It isn't often Kenma says the three magic words, after all, preferring to show his feelings through gestures. “I — I love you too, Kenma.”

Kenma nuzzles Kuro’s chest. If they weren't standing up, he could fall asleep here and now. He feels so filled to the brim with warmth and familiarity and love for this dork he couldn't help but fall for when he was nine. And maybe they can't legally marry here, and that might make things a little difficult in the future (the only thing that Kenma can say with certainty is that he and Kuro _are_ in this for ever), but for now Kenma is happy with what he has.

This is Kenma's own tranquil haven, enveloping him in warmth and safety, and nothing can ruin it—

Just then, one of Kuro’s arm detaches itself from being around Kenma. Within a blink, his hand reaches into his pocket and in the next he seems to be holding something over Kenma’s head.

“Huh?” Kenma asks blearily, still feeling like his head is wrapped in cotton candy from Kuro’s warmth.

“Just look up, kitten,” Kuro’s smug voice floats down.

Kenma sighs but looks up anyway.

Then he all but slams his face against Kuro’s chest to muffle the longest and most long-suffering sigh he's ever had.

“Seriously, Kuro?” Kenma demands indignantly. “ _Literally holding a mistletoe over my head?_ ”

“What?” Kuro says, sounding more amused than he has any right to be. “You never said this wasn't allowed. Only that I couldn't make out with you until my two weeks are up — and I've made it within the stipulated time limit, didn't I?”

“You are the absolute worst, you stupid trash can.” Kenma wants to smack himself. The entire afternoon in the freaking snow, trekking up the hill, dealing with Kuro’s cousins and the snowball fight — _all_ of it was to distract Kenma and get him to lower his guard. He can't believe Kuro used such an underhanded tactic to win — wait, no, he actually can. What he can't believe is that he didn't realise it earlier. He lightly punches Kuro’s chest. “Scheming bastard, indeed. The next time you and Yaku-san bicker I'm taking his side.”

“Aww, stop it with your gushing compliments, you're making me blush. Now I want my reward, pretty please.”

Kenma huffs out another sigh, to punctuate just how done he is with his boyfriend, but gives in anyway. And when Kuro’s tongue flicks across his lips, he lets Kuro in. Kuro _did_ technically win fair and square, after all. 

It _is_ funny. Even though Kenma has lost, it still feels like he's won anyway. 

But that's how their game is designed, Kenma realises. If Kuro wins, he gets all the makeout sessions he wants. If Kenma wins, he achieves bragging rights but they'll return to status quo after that. No matter who technically wins, in the end the both of them share the same reward. And Kenma thinks that if he were anyone else, he might find it incredibly sweet.

Still. Kuro will _not_ be allowed to use his superior height to his advantage anymore, Kenma will make sure of that. 

**Author's Note:**

> honestly, this could've gone in a _whole_ other direction but i don't trust myself to write NSFW. 
> 
> thanks for reading!
> 
> catch me on [tumblr.](https://hqissodelicate.tumblr.com/)


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